The Charles M. Museum in Santa Rosa California: 100 Statues of Peanusts Comic Strip Characters

Wouldn't it be fun to search for 100 statues of one of the members of the Peanuts comic strip scattered all around a city?

Santa Rosa, California is home to the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Charles M. Schulz, of course, is the well-known creator of the comic strip Peanuts.

Since 2005, the city has been recognizing Schulz's work though an exhibit of effigies displayed throughout the city. When they did it for the first time, they had artists decorate statues of Charlie Brown, and called the event "It's Your Town, Charlie Brown". Last year, it was Woodstock's turn to grace the event which was entitled "Summer of Woodstock".

The statues are 5 feet in height and artists join to paint and "dress it up" in different attires. The artists are free to express their creativity and give the statues whatever look they want. A Hawaiian attire complete with flip flops, a formal one all donned in tuxedo, a sporty get-up or even a spooky costume.

This year, the star of the show is Snoopy. On May 16 to 20, artists have already given 100 statues of this canine the look that they want him to wear. It was an open-to-the-public paint-off at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. If you wish to see their work, visit the city because you would have a great time admiring Snoopy 100 times in 100 different looks. The beagle would be waiting for everyone from June 4 to September 10.

Naturally, it would be a shame if you do not visit the museum. After 40 years of writing the Peanuts comic strip in Santa Rosa, it is but a fitting homage to this man to have his works, memorabilia and memory shared to his readers and friends. The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center opened in 2002 across the street from the Redwood Empire Ice Arena.

The museum houses personal artifacts that this well-loved man collected during his lifetime. Included are items from his studio, collected artwork, sketchbooks and scrapbooks of pre-Peanuts published comics. Being a fan of hockey, the museum's collection also includes an old hockey uniform of Schulz, as well as his boyhood baseball gloves.

A glimpse of the personal life of Snoopy's creator is shared through the photograph collection that consists of Schulz's drawings, awards and pictures with his family and friends.

Visitors can go down memory lane as they watch a multi-media collection of documentaries and interview with Schulz, as well as Peanuts animated specials and films.

So go and have fun looking for Snoopy inside the mall, in front of a church, at the entrance of a school, or next to a mail box. The museum would hand you a map so you could try to locate Snoopy. Enjoy the museum and rediscover Charlie Brown, Linus and Frieda, Woodstock, Lucy and the rest of the gang!